Raised stones, or vatolahy, are erected throughout Madagascar: singly, in groups, or over a grave. They vary in size, and are sometimes carved, depending on the importance of the deceased.
The spirits of the deceased are not dead. Freed from the material world, they move through space. But they are duty-bound to visit the living and bless them. For the Sakalavas, an ethnic group in Western Madagascar, the Mijoa bird (ibis) represents the passage between life and death. Mijoas, the only birds that mate face to face like humans, symbolize the continuity of life. A man who dies will not come back to disturb his wife, as the couple now exist in the perfect symmetry of two opposite worlds.
Burial monuments made of wood or stone, and sometimes decorated, vary in style according to the region and the natural environment. In the West and the Southwest, tombs bear human figures symbolizing the continuity of life through procreation. .
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These are the thumbnails and texts for this alcove. They can be printed.
In the traditional Malagasy belief system, the world of the ancestors is a part of what is called "life". Life comprises four distinct stages, each with its own value and clearly-defined role. The ancestors have arrived at the fourth and final stage. Like other living beings, they have a specific duty to fulfil: blessing their children. Death does not signify the end of human existence or the ultimate disappearance of an individual. It is merely a doorway or passage to the invisible world.
As we enter the 21st century, with social changes, the emergence of new religions, and widespread globalization, the ancestor cult is fading, particularly in cities. But fear or respect for ancestors remains a cultural value of Malagasy society. This is evident from the continued observance of ancestral customs (circumcision, funeral rites, etc. ) and the care taken with burial monuments.
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